Chair.



no. 7|4,s75. Patented Dec. 2; I902. a. r. CLINGMAN.

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{Application filed July 11, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES GEORGE F. OLINGMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TOTOBEY FURNI- TURE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OFILLINOIS.

CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 714,675, dated December2, 1902. Application filed July 11, 1901. Serial No. 67,839. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern- Be it known that], GEORGE F. CLINGMAN, acitizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovementin Ohairs,(0ase No.1,) of which the following is a full,clear, concise. and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to chairs or similar articles of furniture capableof use for sitting purposes, and it relates in particular to aconstruction of such devices in which the back is made adjustable, so asto allow the person sitting in the chair to recline more or lessbackwardly. In chairs of this kind as heretofore made the adjustablebacks have had their lower ends or edges pivoted to the chairbody. sothat they would swing about such lower ends, and means were provided forlock ing the back in any position to which it may be adjusted about suchpivotal connection. When the person occupying the chair desires torecline more, the backis swung backwardly about its lower edge andlocked in such adjusted position, and when less inclination is desiredthe back is swung forwardly and locked or held in such forward position.The objection to such an arrangement is that the seat of the chairremains the same length no matter to what inclination the back of thechair is adjusted, and the body of thejper-j t.

son occupying the chair is uncomfortably stretched or extended when theinclination from the vertical is considerable. If it happen that theback of the chair ishinged or pivoted at a point below the seat, thelength of the seat is increased as the inclination from the verticalincreases, thereby augmenting the inconvenienceof the person occupyingthe chair. This of course is the case when the chair is provided withcushions, because then the pivotal. point is considerably below .the topof the cushion forming the seat. p The object of my invention is toovercome this difficulty and to arrange so that the person occupyingthechair may be comfortable no matter to what inclination the back isadjusted and also to secure this result with different persons.

In accordance with the manner of carrying out my invention herein setforth I arrange for the movement or adjustment of the bottom of thechair-back in a forward-and-backward direction relatively to the seatand also arrange so that it can be held or locked in position in anysuch adjustment that may be made. In this way the inclination of theback may be varied as desired by simplymoving the bottom of the backforward or backward, as the case maybe. Since the bottom of the backthus moves relatively to the seat when the back bottom is advanced ormoved forwardly to secure a greater inclination of the back, the lengthof the seat is decreased, and, conversely, when the back bottom is movedrearwardly to decrease the inclination of the back the length of theseat is increased. As

a result the length of the seat and the variation of the back varyinversely, and these two parts are thereby properly proportioned toafiord comfort, irrespective of the inclination of the back.

In accordance also with the manner herein set forth for carrying out myinvention I arrange so that the pivotal point about which the backswings as its bottom is adjusted forward and back can be adjustedvertically. In this way the number of inclinations to which the back canbe adjusted is increased, and the chair is thereby made capable ofproper adjustment to different persons.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown my invention as applied to acommon ichair, although it will be understood that it is capable ofapplication to any device of this general characteras, for instance,settees or the like.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a chair embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a similar side elevation of the same with the backadjusted to a difierent inclination. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of thechair inthe adjustment shown in Fig. 1. 5

j The chair illustrated comprises a body or bed portion A, having arms 11 and upright rear posts 2 2, and a backB, whichi's made separable fromthe body. The side rails 3 3 of the chair-body are provided with sets orI00 series of notches 4 4E, and the bottom of the back B is'providedwith lateral projections or extensions 55, adapted to fit into thenotches 4 4. The posts 2 2 are provided with vertically-arrangedapertures 6 6, into which can be fitted pins 7 7.

With reference to the operation of the device the back B can be adjustedso as to vary its inclination by elevating it and moving its bottomportion backward or forward, so as to cause the side projections 5 5 tofit into any set or pair of notches 4 4. As this adjustment of thebottom is made the back swings about the pins 7 7and also moves slightlyin a downward direction, as required. As the bottom is advanced or movedforwardly-that is, toward the front of the chairit will be seen that theinclination of the back is increased, while at the same time the lengthof the seat is decreased, and that as the bottom of the back is movedrearwardly the inclination of the back is decreased, and the length ofthe seat increased. Thus the seat of the chair is proportioned properlyto the inclination of the back, the seat being longest when theinclination of the back is least and shortest wh'en that inclination isgreatest. The inclination of the back may be further varied by changingthe position of the pins 7 7, about which the back swings when its lowerportion is advanced or retracted. This adjustment of the pivotal axis orsupport of the back permits greater diversity and nicety of adjustmentto be secured. Bysuch dual adjusting means it is possible to provide agreat variety of adjustments such as cannot fail to satisfy every one.

It will be understood that while I have herein shown and described myinvention as applied to a chair I consider that it is appli cable to alldevices of that general character, such as settees and the like.

What I claim is 1. In a device of the class specified, the combinationwith a back arranged for swinging or pivotal movement about its lowerend, vertically-arranged rear posts, and a verticallyadjustablesupporting member for supporting the back above its lower end, saidsupporting member being carried by the posts and arranged between thesame, and being vertically adjustable up and down the posts, the backhaving its lower end located in front of the posts and being arranged infront of the supporting member so as to rest backwardly against thesame, whereby the inclination of the back can be varied by a verticaladjustment of the supporting member along the posts.

2. In a device of the class specified, the combination with the backarranged for a swinging or pivotal movement about its lower end and alsoarranged for a forward-and-back adjustment of its lower end, means forengaging the lower end of the back in different positions in suchforward-and-back adjustment, vertically-arranged rear posts, and avertically-adjustable supporting member for supporting the back aboveits lower end, said supporting member being carried by the posts andbeing vertically adjustable up and down the same, while the lower end ofthe back is stationary, whereby any desired inclination of the back canbe had with any desired length of seat, substantially as set forth.

3. A device of the class specified comprising a body havingrear uprightposts, each provided with a series of vertically-arranged apertures, aback supported for pivotal or swinging movement about its lower end anda supporting member adapted to fit into the apertures in said posts forsupporting the back above its lower end, substantially as set forth.

4. A device of the class specified comprising a bed or body having rearupright posts provided with series of apertures and also having itssides provided with series of notches, a back having its lower endprovided with extensions or projections adapted to fit in said notches,and pins adapted to fit in the apertures in said posts, substantially asdescribed.

5. A device of the class specified, comprising a body having rearupright posts, each provided with a series of vertically-arrangedapertures and having its sides each provided with a series of notches, aback structurally separate and disconnected from the body, the

.said back having its lower end constructed so as to fit in the notchesof the sides, and a supporting member adapted to fit into the aperturesin said posts, substantially as described.

6. In adevice of the class specified, the combination of a body havingrear upright posts, each provided with a series of vertically-arrangedapertures, a backarranged for pivotal GEORGE F. OLINGMAN.

\Vitnesses:

FRANK MCMARTIN, PAUL O. MERBITZ.

ICS

